Congratulations to our student athletes recognised at the Gymnastics Australia Awards
Congratulations to Deakin elite-athlete students Kate McDonald and Emily Whitehead, who were both recognised in the High Performance Athlete of the Year category at the 2023 Gymnastics Australia Awards!
A current Bachelor of Environmental Science (Environmental Management and Sustainability) student, Kate McDonald won her first gold medal at the 2019 Australian Classic and was awarded the Rising Star Award at the 2019 Deakin Sport Awards. She later went on to win silver in Uneven Bars and Balance Beam at the 2022 Australian Nationals, before claiming a stunning Gold in the Women’s Balance Beam final and Silver in the Women’s Artistic Gymnastic Team final at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games later that year. Kate was named our Sportperson of the Year – Female award at the 2022 Deakin Sport Awards.
Emily Whitehead, a Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science student, made her Olympic debut at the 2020 Tokyo Games in Artistic Gymnastics, finishing 44th in the All-Around competition. Prior to this, she finished second at the 2021 Australian Championships in the Uneven Bars, Floor Exercise and All-Around events and won a silver medal in the Women’s Senior All-Around category. Emily was part of the Women’s Artistic Gymnastic Team who took out Silver at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, where she later went on to win Bronze in the Women’s Floor Exercise final. Emily was also recognised with a Full Blue award at the 2022 Deakin Sport Awards.
Most recently, both Kate and Emily competed in the 2024 Senior Victorian Championships in Geelong as they both make a bid for the upcoming Australian Gymnastics Championships and ultimately the Paris Olympic Games later this year. Good luck, Kate and Emily!
Are you an elite athlete studying at Deakin?
Elite athletes can face many demands in finding a balance between their studies and sporting commitments, and we understand the need to support student athletes to enable them to succeed in both areas.
If you’ve got any questions about how the Elite Athlete Program (EAP) could help you, please visit the EAP website or contact the Elite Sports Coordinator, Jack Duke, at [email protected].
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